Wood is the top material of choice for fences around the globe. The reason why is because it is affordable, good-looking, and quite durable. Also, wood is a very easy material to work with.
So how long do wood fences last?
The answer to that question is roughly fifteen to twenty years, depending on the type of wood you used. In addition, the level of maintenance you give your fence also comes into play.
Read this one-stop article. It will teach you everything about the longevity of wood fences. That way, you’ll know exactly how to maximize your fence’s lifespan by properly taking care of it.
Wood Fence Life Expectancy
The quality of the wood you use for your fence will naturally affect its lifespan. The majority of wood fences nowadays are built out of Douglas Fir, Cedar, or Redwood because of their durability and resistance to pests. Often, the posts on the fence are pressure-treated.
What are pressure-treated posts more sought after? Because they last longer because they are not likely to fall victim to wood-eating pests such as termites.
Sad to say, the lumber used for fencing nowadays isn’t as good as it used to be. The reason for that is because most lumber used to come from old-growth trees which have wood that is more durable than newer trees.
You see, younger trees always produce softer wood, and therefore are a lot more prone to decay. Furthermore, it’s less stable and susceptible to rot as well as pests even when treated.
Unfortunately, it’s getting harder and harder to source more durable old-growth wooden panels as lumber from the remaining old-growth forests is often exported. Luckily though, our team at US Vintage Wood maintains a good source of several types of legit durable old-growth lumber.
Maintaining A Wood Fence
